Burial-vault



(No Moel.)

B. E'. VAN CAMP.

BURIAL VAULT No. 597,6254 Patentd Jan. 18,1898.

.valla-1,7'

wfgesszs BENJAMIN E. VAN cAMP,

PATENT 4 EEicE.

OF CLAYPOOL, INDIANA,

BU RIAL-VAU LT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters fatent No. 597,625, dated January 18, 1898. Application filed July 29, 1897, Serial No. 646,374. (No model.)

To @ZZ rwhom it may concern:

Beit known that I, BENJAMIN F. VAN CAMP, a citizen of the United States, residing at Clay- Vpool, in the county of Kosciusko and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Bnrialftfault, of which the following is a specilication.

This invention relates to that class of burialvaults or sarcophagi designed to replace the ordinary pine box or brick vault forming a receptacle for the casket or coffin containing ythe corpse. the ground, below the surface thereof, or s o as to be partially buried, since it is air and water tight.

For a full understanding of the merits and advantages of the invention reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings and the following description.

The improvement is susceptible of various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof, and to a full disclosure of the invention an adaptation thereof is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a perspective view'of a sarcophagus or burial-vault constructed in aceordance with this invention, parts being broken away, showing the relative arrangement of the parts and the detailed construction. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal. section thereof. Fig. 3 is a plan section. Fig. 4f is a transverse section. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the frameifor the top or covering slabs.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in the several views of the drawings by the same reference-characters.

The burial-vault or coffin-receptacle is constructed of slabs formed of concrete, such as cement and mortar or other plastic composition generally employed in the formation of structures of this character, and consists of similar side slabs l., end slabs 2, botten slabs 3, and top or covering slabs 4. The top or covering slabs are arched between their longitudinal edges, and their opposing or meet-` ing ends are halved, so as to preclude the formation of a straight joint between them. The lower side of the slabs et is rabbeted at The vault may be erected above when subjected to outer pressure.

its edges to receive the top edges of the side slabs l, therebyT fixing the position of the covering-slabs and holding them in place until the cement or mortar employed for bonding the slabs sets. The rabbeting is effected by providing an inner shoulder a a short distance from the edges, so as to overlap the inner side of the top edges of the side slabs, 6o

whereby the latter are prevented from moving inward when subjected to external lateral pressure.

The bottom slabs 3 have their inner ends halved in a manner similar to the top slabs,

and end slabs, whereby they are prevented-. i

from moving inward when subjected to pressure from without from any cause tending to press the body-slabs inward.

The side slabs l have rabbets at their ends to receive the ends of "the slabs 2, so as to sustain the latter against inward movement A groove 6 is formed in the rabbeted ends of the side slabs, and a corresponding groove 7 is formed in the ends of the slabs 2, and these grooves 6 and 7 coincide and register when the bodyslabs are placed in position and are intende to receive the cement or substance employed to secure a bond-joint between the meeting parts of the slabs l and 2, said cement or bond ing material being poured into the grooves after the slabs have been set up.

The slabs are molded and the body-slabs are strengthened and stiffened by embedding therein a metal frame S, composed of intersecting or crossing rods or bars, which latter are Welded at the points of crossing', so as to bring all the bars in the same plane and enable the frame to be of a minimum thickness.

This bracing-frame 8, being embedded in theA body of the slab, is concealed from view and gives strength and rigidity to the slabs and enables the latter to be made comparatively thin and light Without fear of detriment or injury to the slabs during transportation or handling when the vault or coffin-receptacle is in the course of construction.

It will be understood that the slabs will Vary in size according to the particular purpose and Asize of coffin to be placed in the vault when completed, and the upper edges of the end slabs'will curve so as to correspond to the spring or curvature of the top slabs. When setting up the vault or receptacle, the bottom slabs are first placed`in position and the space 5 between the opposing or meeting ends of the said bottom slabs is flushed with cement or motar, so as to make a tightjoint. A layer of cement or mortar is placed upon the rabbeted edge of the bottom and the bodyslabs are placed in position thereon. The cementorbonding substance or material is poured into the registering grooves 6 and 7 at the corners ot' the vault, thereby lling said grooves and the spaces and interstices leading therefrom, whereby a Water and air tight joint is secured. 'A layer of cement or mortar is now placed upon the top edge of the body-slabs and the top or covering slabs are placed in position, and after the cement lor bonding material sets the receptacle or vault is practically air and Water tight and is as solid as if molded in one piece and composed of material that will absorb the moisture and will not sweat. 1

The metal frame foreach of the top or covering slabs is shown most clearly in Fig. 5 and comprises a rectangular frame formed of longitudinal bars 9 and transverse bars ll and an arched frame composed of arched bars I0 and a connectinglongitudinal bar 9, The longitudinal bars 9 are placed upon the ends cf the truss-bars 1l and are secured thereto by riveting orin any suitable manner. The terminals of the arched bars lO butt against the inner edges of the longitudinal bars 9 and are riveted to the end portions of the bars 11 and are prevented from spreading by said rivets and by the bars 9. The terminals of the bars being in the same plane as the bars 9 occupy less space than would be required if theyoverlapped the said bars 9. If the ends of the parts 10 and ll were` securedto the bars 9 upon opposite sides thereof, three thicknesses would result, corresponding to the parts 9, 10, and 1l, but by disposing the parts as illustrated only two thicknesses result, as will be readily understood. The middle portion of the truss-bars is not embedded, as clearly indicated in Fig. 4, thereby enabling the top to be as thin as the side or bottom slabs.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is--V l. In a sarcophagus, a slab lof arched form, a rectangular frame composed of longitudinal bars and transverse bars overlapping the longitudinal bars at their ends and rigidly secured thereto, and having the longitudinal bars embedded in the edge portions of the slab, and an arched frame comprising transverse arched bars having their terminals rigidly secured to the end portions of the aforesaid transverse bars and abutting against the inner edges of the longitudinal bars, and a bar connecting the arched bars and parallel With the side bars, the arched frame being Wholly embedded in the slab, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. A sarcophagus, comprising slabs of cement or like plastic material, a metal frame composed of crossing rods Welded at the points of crossing, embedded in the body slabs, the top slabs being of arched form and having a metal frame applied thereto and composed of longitudinal and transverse arched bars connected together and embedded in the top slabs, and truss-bars connecting the side bars and having their middle portions exposed, the terminals of the arched bars abutting against the inner sides of the outer longitudinal bars, the bottom slabs having a space between the overlapping parts of their meeting Vends to receive a bonding material, and having corresponding grooves in the edges of the end slabs and in the inner faces of the side slabs to receive cement, the bodyslabs being rabbeted to sustain them against external lateral pressure, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two'witnesses.

BENJAMIN F. vAN CAMP.

IOO 

